Ever wondered what happens when ancient myths meet modern art? Dive into the mesmerizing world of Erick and Elliot Jiménez’s ‘El Monte’ exhibition! These Cuban American twin photographers transform Afro-Cuban traditions into surreal, visually stunning narratives. Prepare to see culture reimagined in ways you won’t expect. What stories do you carry from your heritage?
The captivating photographic series “El Monte” by Cuban American twin brothers Erick and Elliot Jiménez invites viewers into a dizzying world where history, myth, and personal identity converge. This groundbreaking exhibition, currently showing at the Pérez Art Museum Miami, reinterprets a seminal work of ethnography through a distinctly contemporary and surreal lens, offering a rich tapestry of visual storytelling that challenges traditional narratives.
At the heart of the Jiménezes’ inspiration lies Lydia Cabrera’s 1954 anthropological masterpiece, also titled “El Monte.” Cabrera’s book painstakingly documented the oral histories and complex belief systems of major Afro-Cuban religious traditions like Palo Monte and Lucumí, more widely known as Santería. It described “The Wilderness” not merely as a natural landscape, but as a sacred, separate space where deities and spirits actively reside, profoundly shaping Cuban cultural identity for generations.
Cabrera’s profound research has served as a cornerstone for numerous artists grappling with themes of homeland and heritage. Notably, Ana Mendieta, exiled from Cuba as a child, found “El Monte” to be a vital link to her ancestral roots, which permeated her evocative performance and earth art. Later, the distinguished Cuban collagrapher Belkis Ayón drew extensively from Cabrera’s findings, populating her unique oeuvre with monochrome “shadow figures” characterized by their haunting, stark eyes—a direct visual precursor to the Jiménezes’ distinctive aesthetic.
Born in Miami to Cuban immigrant parents, Erick and Elliot Jiménez experienced an early childhood steeped in Cuban culture, despite their American birthplace. This bicultural upbringing provided a unique vantage point when they revisited Cabrera’s text for their current El Monte Exhibition. Their interpretation of the wilderness is filtered through the experiences of first-generation Cuban American Photography artists, seeking to bridge ancestral narratives with their contemporary reality.
In their iteration of “El Monte,” the Jiménez brothers transcend rigid ethnography, embracing a more whimsical and unconstrained artistic vision. Their work blurs the lines between painting and photograph, creating a world of intentional dualities. Afro-Cuban Culture and Greco-Roman mythologies intertwine freely, enveloped by Western art historical aesthetics. Central to this vision are their enigmatic “shadow figures”—models rendered as blacked-out, bright-eyed presences, directly echoing Ayón’s powerful visual universe.
The series offers a compelling reinterpretation of iconic figures and narratives. Elliot Jiménez explains their attempt to “reinterpret more iconic works in the context of Cuban culture and spirituality.” For instance, a dark, pregnant Venus is reborn against a blurred blue backdrop, and Sikán, a figure from the Abakuá secret society lore, is captured holding the fish tied to her fate—a poignant homage to Ayón, who adopted Sikán as an alter ego. This Surreal Art transforms dominant symbols, placing them within a new, culturally rich context.
While artists from the diaspora sometimes face scrutiny regarding their connection to ancestral lands, the Jiménezes’ work boldly embraces artifice and appropriation without pretense. Their Mythology Reimagined is playful and triumphant, especially when it leans into its American influences, celebrating contradiction and surreality. An image like “Imperialista,” featuring a regal shadow figure under a Napoleonic bicorne hat, exemplifies their unique ability to imbue historical references with contemporary wit and a captivating gaze that challenges viewer expectations.
The “El Monte” series not only showcases the profound artistic talent of Erick and Elliot Jiménez but also offers a vibrant dialogue between past and present, tradition and innovation. Their exhibition at the Pérez Art Museum Miami is a must-see for anyone interested in the contemporary Miami Art Scene, Afro-Cuban Culture, and the powerful ways Cuban American Photography continues to redefine visual storytelling and cultural heritage.
